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Published (Version of record)CC BY-NC V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY-NC V4.0, Open
Journal article
Arousal coherence, uncertainty, and well-being: an active inference account
Neuroscience of consciousness, Vol.2024(1), niae011
19/03/2024
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
Here we build on recent findings which show that greater alignment between our subjective experiences (how we feel) and physiological states (measurable changes in our body) plays a pivotal role in the overall psychological well-being. Specifically, we propose that the alignment or ‘coherence’ between affective arousal (e.g. how excited we ‘feel’) and autonomic arousal (e.g. heart rate or pupil dilation) may be key for maintaining up-to-date uncertainty representations in dynamic environments. Drawing on recent advances in interoceptive and affective inference, we also propose that arousal coherence reflects interoceptive integration, facilitates adaptive belief updating, and impacts our capacity to adapt to changes in uncertainty, with downstream consequences to well-being. We also highlight the role of meta-awareness of arousal, a third level of inference, which may permit conscious awareness, learning about, and intentional regulation of lower-order sources of arousal. Practices emphasizing meta-awareness of arousal (like meditation) may therefore elicit some of their known benefits via improved arousal coherence. We suggest that arousal coherence is also likely to be associated with markers of adaptive functioning (like emotional awareness and self-regulatory capacities) and discuss mind–body practices that may increase coherence.
Details
- Title
- Arousal coherence, uncertainty, and well-being: an active inference account
- Creators
- Hannah Biddell - University of QueenslandMark Solms - University of Cape TownHeleen Slagter - Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamRuben Laukkonen - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Neuroscience of consciousness, Vol.2024(1), niae011
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Identifiers
- 991013175813602368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article